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Re: Bailey Hay
Matt Wassenhove wrote:
>
> It's actually called "barley straw" and yes it works on algae, and it is not
> harmful to the fish or the plants. The only problem that I ever saw with it
> is it starts in a pad form and ends up floating all over your tank (on the
> top of the water at the bottom of the gravel and of course right in your
> filter). I am not sure if you could put it in something like some panty
> hose so the water could flow through but it could not get out......It might
> be worth the try let me know if you do try it and how it works out for you.
>
> Matt W.
Everything I have read about using barley straw to kill algae mentions
that the likely mechanism in play is that in water the straw reacts with
sunlight to produce H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide). I have had luck bypassing
the straw altogether and adding H2O2 directly to the aquarium.
Some might be afraid of destroying the biofilter by adding peroxide, but
there has been some research into this and it appears that at
concentrations of 16.5 mg/L biofilms were still able to develop on
various substrates (Water Science and Technology, Vol. 38, Num. 8 - 9,
pp 283 - 289).
To achieve a concentration of around 9.5 - 10 mg/L using 3% H2O2, use 1
mL per gallon.
--
Jerry Baker
References: